TRP: Hansel and Mishka (Sea Monster)
Night 375. Hansel is seasick from ocean-related PTSD. Mishka goes to cuddle with him and ask him about the sea monster who destroyed Hansel's ship nearly two years ago. Mishka waited until Hansel was drunk and relaxed, and it was near the end of the day. They'd had a good day today: getting Bakir back, killing some pirates. He figured this might be a good time. He found Hansel in the belly of the ship, throwing up into a bucket. Mishka padded down silently, his belled earring jingling a little to alert Hansel of his presence. IZZY Hansel spat and looked up blearily, immediately saying, "M'fine." COYOTE "Didn't ask you if you were okay," Mishka said fondly, "because you're obviously not, my love. Your opinion is not relevant here." He handed Hansel a fresh flask of water and rubbed his back soothingly. IZZY Hansel grumbled a little, but he took the flask to rinse his mouth out and spit. He didn't want anyone to have to come check on him, and shit. Was nice, though. He leaned against Mishka a bit. COYOTE Mishka screwed the cap back on, then delicately took out a handkerchief and covered the bucket with it so it wouldn't smell and set off Hansel's stomach again, then nudged it away with his boot. He sat down next to Hansel and leaned companionably against him. "I want to ask you some questions about that sea monster who destroyed your ship," Mishka said, slowly, because he figured that Hansel ought to know and be able to refuse if he liked. IZZY Hansel's gut grumbled. "Oh," he said. He shifted around some, antsy, not sure if he wanted to not be touching Mishka or if he wanted to pull Mishka into his lap and hide against him. "Uh. How come?" COYOTE Mishka smoothed the hair out of Hansel's face with soft and delicate fingers. "I want to find it. And then slice it open. And then cut off its head, my love, and buy a ship so I can mount it on the front." IZZY "Mmm." Hansel shook his head emphatically. Might throw up again. He found Mishka's hand to squeeze it tight. COYOTE Mishka retrieved his handkerchief and brought the bucket closer again. IZZY He made another ehhn sound and eyed it, but the feeling faded. Was just ... gut response. He swallowed and pulled Mishka into his lap after all, hiding his face against Mishka's neck and wrapping around him. "Don't," he mumbled. COYOTE Mishka wrapped his arms tightly around Hansel's back, squeezing hard as he could, and rested his face against Hansel's hair. He stroked Hansel's spine from the center of his back downwards, slowly, easily, calmly. "I'm going to," he said very gently. "I want to know it's dead, neshama." IZZY Hansel shook his head. Wasn't like he hadn't thought about it. Couldn't fuckin' not think about it, every time he looked out and saw nothing but water on the horizon. Used to make him feel free, that, and god, he fuckin' wanted it to again, but -- especially when it was dark -- all he could think about was what might be below the surface. What might rise. "Can't kill it," he managed. "Don't. S'just gonna take you too. Don't." COYOTE Mishka made an ambivalent noise. IZZY Hansel made a miserable one. COYOTE Mishka leaned back enough to take Hansel's face in his hands and meet his eyes. "I'm gonna do it either way, neshama. I can lie to you to make you feel better or I can tell the truth and say I'm going." He spoke very quietly, stroking Hansel's cheek with his thumb while he did it. IZZY "It'll kill everyone again," Hansel said softly. COYOTE "It won't." IZZY "Will," he mumbled, pushing in to drop his face onto Mishka's shoulder again. Knew this wasn't an argument he was gonna win -- wasn't an argument. Mishka's mind was made up and all Hansel could do was try to help him. But he just sort of groaned quietly and squeezed Mishka harder, like maybe if he just held on, that'd do the trick. COYOTE "Mm," Mishka said, which was his polite way of saying that Hansel was wrong, wrong, wrong, so incredibly wrong that Mishka wasn't even going to argue with him. "Do you remember how big it was? As big as the ship, or smaller?" Specific questions. Easy. IZZY He shifted a bit so he could talk more easily, eyes still pressed into Mishka's neck. "Dunno. Bigger, maybe. Only kinda saw parts of it," he mumbled. "Was dark." COYOTE "What did it look like?" Mishka asked, remembering the poster. "A serpent? Or a kraken?" IZZY "Dunno. Maybe." Hansel tried to remember, and tightened around Mishka. Worst had come after. The long suffering, the starving, the wasting -- He shivered, even though it wasn't cold. That sick feeling again. Wasn't the beast that'd killed them. Not the sea beast. Shouldn't be afraid of it. COYOTE “Can you remember anything about it? I want to make sure we get the right one.” He offered Hansel his flask of whiskey, in case Hansel had already drained his own dry. IZZY He shook his head at the flask. "Teeth," he mumbled. Most shit in the ocean had teeth, though. "Lotta eyes." He hesitated. "Dunno. Not that many. Just too many." He wondered if Kheman remembered anything. Had probably been even worse for him, being a human, not having any dark vision at all. Just shapes in the dark. COYOTE "You couldn't see the shape of it? I can murder every monster in the ocean if you like," Mishka said. He tucked the flask away again, then stroke the back of Hansel's neck, pulled him in closer. IZZY Hansel shook his head again, pushing into Mishka in turn. "Parts," he said. "Just ... just parts. Was too much of it. Too many parts." He knew he wasn't making sense. Fucking monster hadn't made any sense. COYOTE "Huh." He wondered if Kheman would know anything. Probably wouldn't hurt to ask. "Well. That's all I wanted to know, my love. Thank you." IZZY Hansel groaned quietly. COYOTE "I know," Mishka murmured, peppering his face with kisses, his nose, his cheeks, his head, his hair. "Just rely on me, eh? I'll steer the ship and make sure everything's okay." IZZY He groaned some more and mumbled, "I'll try to remember more." COYOTE "Mm. Mhm. Well, tell me if you do." Mishka kept stroking his back. Category:Text Roleplay